One Of Those Years
by Hierarchy
Summary: A new year and a new Sorting for the students and teachers at Hogwarts.  Harry's first meeting with the Scooby Gang.


**I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTERS FROM HARRY POTTER OR BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER IN THIS STORY. THIS STORY CANNOT BE SOLD OR PUBLISHED FOR PROFIT.**

ONE OF THOSE YEARS

It was the beginning of a new year at Hogwarts, and as with every year the teachers, and students both old and new were ready for the festivities to begin. But, before the feasting could start an ancient tradition had to be observed.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione along with everyone else in the main hall were focused on the stool at the head of the tables between them and the headmasters table. On the first night of each new school year the new students would be called up to that stool and the sorting hat placed on their head. This ancient magical artifact dating back to the beginning of Hogwarts a thousand years and more ago being more than a little alive, would peer into the essence of the wearer and determine which of the four houses that student would belong to. However, this year there would be a new twist.

Over the past four years every teacher for the "Defense Against the Dark Arts" class had been a disaster of one type or another. Two had turned out to be working for You-Know-Who. Another, had been a fraud and a complete failure. The only good one, Professor Lupin, had been forced out of the position when it was revealed that he was a werewolf. He had decided to leave before a formal protest from the students parents could arrive.

This was of special importance to Harry potter since all four of these teachers had either tried to kill or harm Harry and his friends (although, in the case of Lupin it was not intentional and Harry still missed him) he was naturally anxious about who would be the new teacher this year. He had been anxious all during the school break about who would be taking over the following year.

Upon arriving at the school earlier that day, he had found the students, and faculty acting like ants in a broken anthill over Professor Dumbledore's choice. Hearing the rumors from the other students he had gone to try and sneak out some of the truth. Being careful to stay around corners or outside doors where the teachers were talking he listened in on the conversations, or yelling matches as the case may be.

Professor Dumbledore had chosen TWO young ladies to share in the responsibility for the DADA class. Now, this was certainly unusual but it was not the problem. The problem (at least for the conservative parents and teachers) was that first, only one of the young ladies was actually a witch! Furthermore, this witch who Harry thought actually rather looked like her names sake, was what was called by the professionals in the Wizarding World as a Hedge Witch. That is, a witch who was entirely self-taught and had never gone to any formal schools.

Professor Snapes was outraged that such a person had even been considered for the DADA position when he had been after it for years. He insisted, at the top of his lungs, that there was no way such an amateur could possibly have either the knowledge, skills, experience, or POWER to teach DADA! However, Professor Dumbledore was insistant that she would do quiet well.

Secondly, the other young lady was not only not a which, she was only a MUGGLE! Every student and teacher at the school was wondering how a muggle could teach anything about DADA. Mind you, one look at this young lady and there were no further protests from the boys of the school and Ron seemed vary eager for lessons to start. For some reason, Hermione seemed upset about this and proceeded to comment on Ron's childish behavior. Miss McGonical was the one who lead the protest against this one. She insisted, that to place a muggle in the path of You-Know-Who was tantamount to a death sentence for the muggle. Whatever LITTLE experience this young lady might have with the magical world could not possible prepare her for being a target for You-Know-Who and his Deathdealers, as any DADA teacher would be, she insisted. But, once again Professor Dumbledore insisted that this young lady had all the experience that anyone could ask for in fighting the dark arts….and than some.

However, listening in on these conversations Harry got the impression that there was an unspoken third reason for the outrage over these two young ladies. It was bad enough that Dumbledore had allowed questionable people into the school before. Hagrid the grounds keeper and teacher of mystical animals was half a giant. But, he had been at Hogwarts for so long that people had gotten use to him. Professor Lupin had been a werewolf and parents feared for their childrens well being. But this was even worse. These two young ladies were AMERICAN!!! The whole teaching staff was in a British fit that Professor Dumbledore would actually ask a couple a COLONIALS to teach at the school! Furthermore, the second one, the blond not the redhead had brought her little sister with her as a sort of "assistant"!

Harry was upset about the whole situation himself. Each year, the attacks by Voldermort got worse. He NEEDED a good DADA teacher and on the surface these two didn't seem to fit the bill! He didn't care where they came from, only that they had what he needed to survive the war he knew was coming.

However, in each case the Professor had quietly heard them out and than insisted that they had "all the experience and skill anyone could ever ask for to combat and defeat the forces of darkness". He also, informed whoever persisted that these ladies were here with the full consent of the British crown, and the Ministry of Magic when the Prime Minister himself had contacted them, and certain 'Councils' of good reputation.

Personally, Harry was a little afraid that Draco Malfroy fathers' usual comments about Dumbledores sanity may actually have a little truth this year. In fact the senior Malfroy had been vary calm and amiable about the whole thing. He had arrived representing the Ministry of Magic and had actually sayed "That if in Professor Dumbledores opinion these ladies were what the school needed that they would take his word on it. After all, he had expended a great deal of influence to get their approval from the Ministry and if he wanted to stake his reputation and credibility on these two than so be it." This set off ALL of Harry's alarm bells naturally! Harry thought that Luscious Malfroy may have been letting Dumbledore have his way because he was so certain that this would be the biggest disaster in the DADA department ever and might just spell the doom of Harry once and for all. Harry, glancing over to the side where Lucious Malfroy was observing the whole thing as a representative of the Ministry (while a particular nasty smirk on his face) felt ashamed about these thoughts but couldn't help them from coming. "Well", he thought looking over at his new teachers were they sat at the headmasters table " at least I'll have something nice to look at this year while waiting for his doom".

The one concession that the Ministry of Magic had insisted upon was that the three people should be sorted. That way, at least they would know where to file the paper work on their death certificates. Dumbledore, had agreed with surprisingly little hesitation.

All this was going through Harry's mind for about the hundredth time as he stared up at the front of the hall. Ron had his eyes glued on the three young ladies but couldn't seem to decide which one to focus on. He was completely oblivious to Hermione, who was still going on about how immature he was being and how he was such a "BOY"! Hermione, for some reason seemed even angrier now than earlier in the day. Harry, didn't think he would ever figure Hermione out but he had bigger problems on his mind.

While Harry watched, and Ron stared (and drooled a little bit) the young redheaded witch came up to the stool and sat down. Miss McGonigal with an anxious look on her face (obviously half expecting the hat to just embarres the school by rejecting her as to "underpowered") set the Sorting Hat on her head. The Sorting Hat with its usual groutchy, but deeply thoughtful expression on its face was still for a moment. Then…..it perked-up. It seemed to grimace, and consider again. Harry began to feel a little hopeful. The Sorting Hat continued to consider the witch below him until people began to murmur about how long it was taking. Harry, noticed that the hat was swaying back and forth in a way which reminded him of a man jumping from one hot foot to another. He was sure he was seeing things but it almost looked like the Sorting Hat was starting to smoke! By this time, Hermione had finely stopped insulting Ron and was paying attention to the whole thing herself.

Suddenly, the Sorting Hat started to speak. "Too much…..Too Much….TOO MUCH POWER"!!! The hat was actually jumping into the air like a bug on a skillet … and it WAS starting to smoke! Suddenly, the hat SHOT into the air! Trailing a plume of smoke it had what looked like small crackling pieces of red and black lightning (BLACK LIGHTING?!) tracing across its brim until it got away from the witch. Shooting through the air like a rocket it finally landed in a water pitcher on the head table and drenched Professor Snapes even as it extinguished itself.

The whole room was quiet as Hagrid reached out and batted the pour hat until it wasn't smoldering anymore. He than took it over to Professor Dumbledore and McGonigal where the two teachers began to confer over it quietly. Half trying to get a sorting answer from it, half trying to calm it down. Finally, Professor Dumbledore stood up straight and spoke to the hall.

"The Sorting Hat is sorry but it has stated that do to the exceptional breadth and depth of Ms. Rosenberg's qualifications it cannot give an accurate decision upon which house she should go to. Furthermore, it has refused to be placed on her head again citing concerns for its health as reason. However, as Ms. Rosenberg has mentioned to me several time her great love for knowledge and Miss McGonical has stated she has no 'further' reservations I have decided to place her in House Ravenclaw".

The whole hall stayed quiet for a loooong moment while everyone considered this. Suddenly, every student from Ravenclaw threw their hands into the air had gave a shout louder that any Harry had heard from them since the last time they won a Quiditch game! Miss McGonical suddenly had a MUCH more thoughtful look on her face than she had before. Also, a little…cautious.

Ron was still staring at the redhead, but in a different way now.

"Harry" Ron said "the Sorting Hat just caught on fire Harry. Yes, I know Ron" Harry said. "Harry" Ron said "What do you think this mean Harry." "I think" Harry said "it might be a good year for learning DADA after all Ron."

Once the shouting and cheering had died down and Ms. Rosenberg had taken her seat at the head table it was the other young ladies turn. Harry considered the young blond lady approaching the Sorting hat. He had to admit things were looking up with the one new professor so maybe this one would be a surprise too, other than her odd name. The second young lady confidently approached the stool and the Sorting Hat. Miss McGonical placed the hat (still a little singed about the edges) on the young ladies blond head. The hat had actually begun to try to talk the professor out of putting it on the next girls head until Dumbledore ensured it that she was not a witch and had absolutely no magical power whatsoever. The hat had finally, allowed itself to be used and settled itself gingerly on the young ladies head.

Now Ron was staring at the blond girl, and Hermione was off again on commenting on how immature Ron was. Once again Ron didn't even seem to notice she was saying anything. The entire hall held its breath as they waited for what would come next. There was NO WAY this muggle could produce the same kind of response from the hat off course, but it might be interesting anyway. No one knew of a time when a muggle had had the hat on before.

Once again, the sorting hat seemed to look deep into the nature of the person below it. A look of deep concentration came across it. At the Slytherin table across from Harry, he could hear Draco snap out one of his vicious comments about the hat having to look longer because there wasn't anything in the muggle to find. This produced a round a snickers from many of the boys and girls at the Slytherin table.

Suddenly, the Sorting Hat stood up rigid on the girls head and gasped. Harry hadn't even known the hat could 'gasp'. The Hat suddenly cried out and everyone there (including the teachers) suddenly seemed to recall how at least once in their lives they had woken from a nightmare screaming when.. asleep.. half between one world and another, they knew what it was that frightened everyone in the night but forgot about it when they woke up, and were glad that they did. Then, convinced themselves over the years as they grew that there hadn't actually been anything to be scared of.

The Sorting Hat jumped off of the girls head screaming and jumped its way under the head table and into a corner. Professor Dumbledore took an hour just to lure it out and begin to calm it down. The whole time it just kept crying (CRYING!) that it would be good and mumbling something about beds of bones and the moment of the piercing cry.

Ron was still staring at the blond again but with a far different expression on his face now. "Harry" Ron said "the Sorting Hat is hiding under the table Harry." "Yes, I know Ron" Harry said. "Harry" Ron said "The Sorting Hat is crying Harry. I didn't know it could cry Harry. Neither did I." said Harry "but I don't think I am going to be worried about You-Know-Who sneaking up on me in school this year Ron."

Once again Dumbledore talked over the situation with the other teachers while having his eye on Harry the whole time. Finally, he announced that "Ms. Summers will be assigned to House Gryffindore". This announcement was met with uncertain applause from the students and teachers and Harry was one of them. The witch was one thing but what did this mean! He didn't think he was going to be able to get away with sneaking out and tricking the teachers this year. On the bright side, Harry noticed that the senior Malfroy off to the was no longer smiling but grimacing and sweating instead.

The whole thing had taken much longer than anyone had expected. So, the teachers went ahead and began the feast to calm everyone down(while they tried to do the same for the Sorting Hat). Finally, once the feast was done and everyone was waiting to be excused to their houses Dumbledore made one more announcement.

"Since the sorting of Ms. Summers and Ms. Rosenberg took longer than expected we were unable to sorting the younger sister of Ms. Summers. Now that everyone has calmed down I think, before you depart to your various houses, we will take the opportunity to sort this young lady".

The young girl in question walked up to the stool and sat down. Harry thought that this would be quiet an anticlimactic finish for such an extraordinary night. After all, how could this little girl top the Sortings of the first two girls.

The Sorting hat actually seemed to cringe when it was brought towards the young girl. Mrs. McGonigal could be heard soothing it with little words before putting it on the girls head.

At first, nothing happened. Than suddenly, the Sorting hat stood up straight on the girls head and suddenly the entire room was flooded with an bright emerald radiance! Throughout the hall every magical object seemed to sparkle with the same glow and every object that had been enchanted with some kind of life seemed to wake up and turn towards the girl on the stool! Across the walls, every painting woke up and their characters focused on the young girl! The whole vast hall suddenly became crowded with the ghosts of the castle crowding in!

Suddenly, the sorting hat jumped down from the girls head onto her lap and looked up at her.

There was a weighty moment of silence as everyone and everything focused on the scene in front of them.

Than, with a shout and a leap into the girls arms the Sorting hat cried out "MOTHER, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!?!?!!!"

Every human in the hall was silent. However, all the magical creatures and objects that could crowded around the young girl who seemed to be have great fun with all the magical creatures eager to be around her.

All Harry could do was sit silently and look stunned. Off course, this didn't embarris him since everyone else ( Including Dumbledore) looked exactly the same.

"Harry" said Ron. "Yes Ron" said Harry.

"Sorting hat is purring Harry" said Ron. "Yes Ron I can hear it from here" said Harry.

"What do you think THIS means Harry." asked Ron.

Harry said, "I'm not sure Ron, but I figure it is just going to be another one of THOSE years Ron."

THE END

My first story ever. Please, Read and Review.


End file.
